Cybertronian family
by WrenchWielder
Summary: Even after a major battle, life will go on. Sam tries to copes with his new life as it gleefully throws everything in it's bucket of oddities at him. But hey, what do you expect with a group of crazy robotic aliens as your family?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hi! This starts after the first movie and will follow through the plot line of the others but I will not be writing the actual movies themselves, I feel like most of us have seen at least one, if not all of them. **

**Disclaimer: Transformers is property of Hasbro, I own nothing.**

Sam looked around the ruins of Mission City. He knew he should probably get to the others and definitely see a medic. He felt like he had a broken rib and with all the falling he'd done in the past 48 hours he had some serious bruising.

Sam sighed as he sat down on what used to be a sidewalk against the crumbling wall of some destroyed building, simply enjoying the warmth of the sun on his skin. Slowly, he allowed his eyes to close with the knowledge that he would get back to the others in just a moment.

XoXoXoX

When Sam opened his eyes again it was dark. He was momentarily disoriented before he realized he must have fallen asleep.

"Finally awake?" Sam jumped a little as he turned to the source of the voice.

"Ironhide? What are you doing here?" Sam looked the Topkick over, seeing that he must have been repaired while he had been sleeping as just a few scratches and dents remained.

"When we realized you were gone there was a slight panic before Technical Sargent Epps mentioned seeing you headed this direction and I came to locate you. When I found you, you were already in recharge. I informed Ratchet who told me to simply keep an eye on you and wait for you to awaken." Ironhide explained. Sam sheepishly rubbed his neck.

"I just didn't want to get in the way." Ironhide sat there for a moment before opening his passenger door. Sam took the invitation and got in. He watched out the window during the short drive back to the temporary camp everyone had set up to collect themselves and await orders from the sec. def. Those that needed serious medical attention had been sent to hospitals and those that didn't were being treated and looked over at camp. Ironhide opened his door and Sam got out.

"I have informed Ratchet you are here. He will be here momentarily." Sam looked up in confusion.

"Why?"

"I would like to see what -if any- effects the Allspark had on you in addition to treating your injuries." Sam quickly spun around to see the yellow medic walking towards them. It was rather unsettling how silent the giant mechanical beings could be. The sounds of a transformation started behind him while a tingling ran through his body as Ratchet stopped in front of him and offered a hand. When Sam hesitated Ratchet gave an exasperated smile and said.

"I assure you Samuel, that I will not further your injuries." Sam blushed, slightly embarrassed at his hesitance before stepping onto the offered appendage. Looking back he saw Ironhide nod and turn to walk over to Will and some of his soldiers. Ratchet carefully lifted the boy up and walked over to where he had set up his make-shift med bay, placing him on an elevated surface. Looking around, Sam saw a large tarp covering what was probably Jazz's body. Sam felt his gut clench in regret. He hadn't really gotten to know him but if Jazz hadn't distracted Megatron, things might have turned out very different. When his eyes lingered, Ratchet followed his line of sight.

"He is not dead, you know." Sam's head snapped up to meet the medic's searching gaze.

"What do you mean?"

"Our bodies work differently than yours. While you fragile organics only have one body we can transfer our sparks to a new one if we want or need. In fact most sparklings go through various shells as they grow older and can handle more."

"Wait, so as long as you're spark isn't destroyed you guys are practically immortal?"

"Essentially yes, though there are many ways to extinguish the spark. One of them being energon deprivation, we were lucky to detect that Jazz was still online, and just in time, before he suffered that fate. I have stabilized and at least temporarily taken care of his spark. Repairing his body is going to be a hard, long and tedious process, but we do not have the resources to make a new protoform for him. As it is I am worried we do not have the recourses to truly repair him either." Sam looked back at the tarp, considering what he'd been told.

"I'm sure you'll be able to work it out." He paused, "But, what's a sparkling and what's energon?"

"A sparkling is our equivalent of a child and energon is kind of like both our blood and fuel."

"Oh, Ok, I guess that makes sense." Sam thought for a while before his mind strayed back to Jazz.

"What about memories?"

"Jazz's processor is fully intact; he should still have them all."

Sam still looked a little upset, "Memories make a person who they are. What happens when a processor is destroyed or damaged?" Ratchet smirked.

"Full of questions aren't we? As for memories, the important ones are imprinted in our sparks, the rest often have to be shared or are unfortunately lost."

"Oh" Sam shivered as he felt the tingle pass through his body again.

"Is everything all right Samuel?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, fine. It's just that that's the second time I've felt this weird tingling."

"You mean you felt that?" Sam looked up at the medic who put his knuckle to his chin and his other hand on his elbow in consideration.

"Interesting, you are the only one to show any sign of noticing my scans"

"You've been scanning me!?"

"I have merely run two scans to see the amount of AllSpark radiation on you and to start looking at your more minor injuries." Sam visibly paled.

"AllSpark _radiation_? As in _Radiation_!?

"I do not believe it will harm you and it is already dissipating at a surprisingly fast rate; it should be completely gone within the next two or three days."

"Oh, that's good." He seemed to relax a bit after hearing that and slowly walked to the edge of the platform he was on, peering at the (for him) long drop to the ground. Looking up Sam gave Ratchet a sheepish smile.

"I should probably stop wasting your time and go help Lennox and the others with clean up." Ratchet merely lifted an optic ridge.

"I was not aware you had seen the human medics yet." Sam shuffled his feet a bit. Ratchet took this as confirmation.

"Stay still" he commanded before initiating a stronger, deeper scan. Sam initially jumped as a visible light washed over him in accordance with a much stronger, bone-deep tingle. He tried not to fidget as the light changed colors and shades a few times, the exact sensation of tingling changing with it. Apparently he was still enough for Ratchet as he eventually stopped to look over the multiple scan's data. Sam sighed in relief and sat down unsure exactly what to do. After a few moments Ratchet glared at him.

"I do not know how you are not in a substantial amount of pain or why you were walking around as you have a break and two fractures in the bone of the thoracic skeleton, which certainly explains your shallow breathing, not to mention all your abrasions and lacerations, some of which are already infected and the fact that 83.47% of your body has contusions and ecchymosis. We are lucky that you do not have any hematoma though." Sam gave a very terrified,

"What?" To which Ratchet quickly looked online and amended with,

"You have one broken and two fractured ribs, cuts and bruising."

"Don't make it sound so scary!" Ratchet merely smirked before he started to gently tend to Sam's injuries.

XoXoXoX

It had been a week since Mission City. For Sam, life had certainly gotten more interesting. The nightmares weren't welcome, but those could be dealt with later. He looked around and smiled. The 'bots, Will, Epps, Sam and Michaela were all at the lookout; a cliff with a beautiful view that was far enough away from an actual paved road that the 'bots could transform without worry if they wanted to. Starscream and Barricade were still out there and more were probably on their way, but right here, right now, life was good.

**A/N: I know not the most exciting thing but it is my first story and hopefully will get better as it goes along.**

**Reviews are welcome. Please no flames, but constructive criticism would be much appreciated. Thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: This chapter is purely 'Bee and Sam. I forgot to mention it in the last chapter but I'm not good at romance. Michaela was only ok and I really didn't like Carly so you probably won't see too much of them except for their breakups. Any love mentioned between Sam and the 'bots is familial love. **

**PS I don't own Transformers**

_Lungs burning, heart pounding. Fear racing through him, encasing his veins in ice, the only thing keeping him going long after his body began to scream for rest. He skids around a corner, hiding himself by pressing against the wall. The thundering footsteps that had been following him slowed to a walk before stopping just beyond the edge of the wall. His shadow though, stretched much farther. Like a being of its own, the blood-red orbs of the shadow's eyes focused on him; a sharp-toothed cheshire grin almost splitting the thing's face in half. _

_The shadow's clawed hand crept towards him. As the hand made it under him, the floor seemed to turn to quicksand. He struggled against the inky blackness that tried to swallow him whole. Apparently finding the process too slow, tendrils came up to drag him down. He was aware of nothing but the darkness. He couldn't think, he couldn't breathe, he was dying and it _**burned.**

Sam woke with the blankets completely tangling his limbs and covering his mouth. He quickly untangled and ungagged himself, quietly panting to catch his breath. Two weeks. Two weeks since the battle of Mission City. In those two weeks the 'bots had set up a temporary base just outside of Tranquility, his relationship with Michaela had taken off, his injuries had been slowly healing, and his nightmares had gotten worse… and worse. It was slightly childish of him, but he was afraid of the looming darkness. At the same time, he was even more afraid of turning on the light; knowing that the light would cast shadows. So instead he lay on his bed hoping that if he was still enough the monsters would leave him alone. He lay there for what seemed both like an eternity and no time at all before he heard a bang and flinched further into the sheets, until he saw Bumblebee out the window. In one fluid motion he was over to the window, had it open and leapt through it at his previously worried, now alarmed guardian. Bumblebee, thoroughly shocked, quickly caught his charge and held him against his chassis. He was momentarily rooted to the spot, cradling his sobbing human before he quickly ducked into the garage.

Sam's vitals had been showing increasingly worrying statuses as the night progressed just like it had every night since coming to the Witwicky home. Sam had assured him that these "nightmares" that were causing this were no big deal but Bumblebee could see the damage the restless nights were doing to him. Each night it seemed as though it was taking Sam longer to calm down and Bumblebee had decided that he was going to find a solution. Since Sam was already awake, why not tonight? He certainly hadn't expected Sam to leap at him through the window and was now rather glad at his decision.

"Sam?" Bumblebee quietly questioned, gently stroking his back with a large finger, being mindful of the injuries still littered across his body. Sam chose not to answer; instead basking in his guardian's warm embrace and the comfort he was giving. After a time, Sam had calmed down to mere silent tears.

"Hey 'Bee?" Sam's voice showed he had been crying. Bumblebee made a trilling noise in acknowledgement without pausing in his ministrations.

"Do you guys ever have nightmares?"

"We don't dream as you do Sam and are therefore incapable of having nightmares."

"You're lucky."

"Do you want to talk about it? Sources indicate it seems to help." Sam shook his head.

"I've always had nightmares, ever since my sister died." Bumblebee froze, but Sam was already continuing on.

"They've have always been tolerable and have gotten got better over the years, but Mission City added a whole new twist to them and I can't take it." His voice dropped to a whisper.

"The worst ones are the ones where I'm completely alone." Bumblebee continued to comfort his charge. Petting him and speaking soft, loving words in Cybertronian, unsure of what he could do.

"I don't like that these nightmares are disturbing your recharge every night."

"It's called sleep 'Bee."

Bumblebee went back over what Sam had said again before saying, "I am unsure of how to get rid of them, but if you would like…" Sam looked up at Bumblebee as he trailed off putting him down, quickly transforming and opening the door closest to Sam. "You can sleep in my cab, so that you know you are not alone." Sam gave a relieved smile in thanks before getting in the back to lie down.

"Thanks 'Bee." Sam said, closing his eyes and murmuring, "love you 'night". Before Sam could actually fall asleep though, Bumblebee voiced his earlier thoughts.

"Sam, databases indicated you to be an only child." Sam's smile turned sad as he looked up at the dashboard and said,

"That's 'cause databases only tell you your biological family"

"What do you mean?" Sam reclosed his eyes.

"Silly," Sam said, already half asleep, very tired now that he knew he was safe. "Family's who's most important to you, not blood or genes." There was a pause before a quiet, "she taught me that." Bumblebee thought for a few moments and Sam had almost fallen asleep completely when he asked,

"Does that make us family?" Smiling at the fact that it had only taken two weeks for a group of mechanical aliens to become as close as family to him he responded,

"Yeah, I guess it does." Curling up further into his best friend, guardian, and brother he promptly fell asleep; dreaming peacefully for the first time in a while with the knowledge he was being watched over and protected. Bumblebee inwardly smiled.

"Love you too, Sam."

**A/N: Yeah, I know quite a bit shorter than the last chapter, hope you liked it anyway. I'm not really aiming for a specific length so they'll probably all vary.**

**Um, yeah, so technically Sam's "sister" is an OC but seeing as how she's already dead I don't think she counts.**

**I'm so sorry this took as long as it did to get up, I'll do my best not to let it go that long again.**

**Loved it? Hate it? I won't know unless you review.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I'm so sorry that this takes me so long to update each chapter. In my defense though, this chapter is definitely longer than the other two. And I am trying to cut down the time between each update. Other than that just know that I don't own transformers or any of its characters.**

In the parking lot of Tranquility High, two sentient cars were in the middle of a rather intense staring match. One a smug, somewhat damaged, police car and the other a seething canary yellow Camaro. Barricade, for some strange reason, had been almost constantly following the two of them everywhere for weeks and Bumblebee was on the verge of going crazy. The 'con was right there but he couldn't do anything about it unless Barricade acted first and the 'con knew it.

The bell that signaled the end of the day rang out, quickly followed by the students ready for the extended break ahead. Sam came running out particularly excited. He had somehow convinced his parents to let him spend the entire upcoming spring break at Diego Garcia. Sam was a horrible liar and his parents had found out about the Autobots rather quickly. Judy's first reaction, of course, had been to pull out her bat and attempt to beat Bumblebee with it. But being the unusual, loving parents they were they ended up giving the Autobots a chance and actually liking them, or at the very least tolerating them and accepting how close their son had gotten to them. Sam almost never got to see any of the 'bots except Bumblebee since they'd moved to their permanent base on Diego Garcia. Though when he told Will and Epps this opinion they'd laughed at him and stated that he spent almost as much time with them as some of the soldiers that lived on base and was definitely closer to each of them.

Sam ran by Barricade streaking a hand across the hood and side, calling back,

"See you after Spring break Barricade!" The headlights flashed in acknowledgment as he ran the short rest of the distance to Bumblebee, slipping into the driver's seat. It was strange but shortly after Barricade started following them Sam had gotten a vague feeling that Barricade might have purposely let Sam get away when they'd first met and had since been watching over him for some reason. It was the barest ghost of something almost remembered, more intuition than anything, but Sam knew that Barricade wasn't going to hurt him.

"Hey Bee! Ready to go?" The seatbelt strapped around him as the engine started up and the Camaro peeled out of the parking lot of its own accord.

"I don't like how close you keep getting to Barricade, Sam. It would be so much easier for him to grab or injure you at such a close proximity." Sam merely rolled his eyes.

"Bee, Barricade's not going to hurt me."

"You have no logical reason to believe that."

"So? I'm human, I don't always need logic. In case you hadn't noticed we tend to rely on instincts and gut feelings and stuff for lots of things."

"That doesn't mean you don't need logic."

"I said that I don't _always_ need it."

"Regardless, I would prefer you didn't get so close to him."

"Ok, Bee. I promise not to go within 100 miles of Barricade for the next week."

"… Sam …" Bumblebee gave a robotic version of a sigh before switching topics. Sam was annoyingly stubborn, even for a human and Bee decided to just let it drop. They talked about everything and nothing, listening to as many songs on as many stations as they could during the drive to their transport to the island.

XoXoXoX

Their plane landed and Sam quickly got out, followed shortly by Bumblebee.

"Hello Samuel, Bumblebee." Optimus greeted. Sam looked up and smiled giving him a wave.

"Hey OP, what's up?"

"Nothing is wrong at the moment. I have some good news that I've been saving till the two of you got here" Sam's smile broadened.

"Awesome, what is it?" The first time Sam had asked what's up the 'bots had just stared at him. Bumblebee had concernedly told him that it was 'to or at any point that is considered higher' while Ratchet wasted no time in performing a detailed scan claiming; 'If he does not know something as simple as the concept of 'up' then something must be wrong.' There were a surprising amount of things that couldn't be looked up on the internet that the humans (mostly Sam) had to explain to them. Optimus extended a hand for Sam to climb on, lifting him to a more comfortable level and carrying him over to the Autobot's side of the base.

"Later, for now Ratchet wanted to see you once you got here. Bumblebee, Ironhide has requested to see you when you are available."

Bumblebee nodded and headed off to the firing range where he undoubtedly was.

Sam shivered as they entered the med bay. He spun around to face Ratchet, who apparently had been waiting for them. In a rather childlike manner he stomped his foot, shouting,

"Ratchet! How many times do I have to tell you? That's a horrible greeting! Pick a different one!" The addressed mech crossed his arms,

"Hello Samuel" and proceeded to run a much more intense and invasive scan. "Is that better?"

"No! Quit scanning me! You know how much I hate it! Besides, it feels weird!"

"'It feels weird' is not a good enough reason for me to cease my scans" Sam opened his mouth as if to protest before Ratchet cut him off. "Not liking them isn't a good enough reason either. If I don't scan you regularly, how will I know the exact condition you are in at any given time?"

"Uh, how 'bout those ridiculously frequent torcher sessions you call checkups?"

"Your medical exams are not that bad and are only done when I believe they are necessary. Not that you bother to show up." Ratchet gave Sam a glare who responded with a sheepish smile. Sam didn't just_,_ not show up; he ran and hid. Although, once he was caught he behaved for the medic. "Besides, while those usually have the detail I prefer, you have a nasty habit of hiding your injuries." Ratchet gave Sam a poke causing him to fall back. Sam, the mature teenager he was, retaliated by sticking his tongue out at him.

"You always think it's a good time for a checkup."

"By that logic you are saying that I think right now would be a good time." Ratchet gave a smile that didn't sit well with Sam. "I think I agree with you; now is a great time." Sam barely had time to shoot to his feet before Ratchet grabbed him out of Optimus's hand and receded further into the med bay. "Whatever your good news is you've had Irohnide and I waiting all week to hear it. You can wait to tell us a little longer while I look over Samuel." Optimus dipped his head in acknowledgement having already expected this.

"Very well, I will be in my office when the two of you are done with everything."

"What?! That's it? You're just leaving me to his cruel mercies?" Optimus smiled at the (half) jokingly distraught boy.

"Yes" And with that said, he walked away.

XoXoXoX

Ratchet only spared a moment to watch his leader leave the room before turning his attention to the boy in his hand.

"Come on drama queen. Even if I keep your medical short you still have a lot of studies to catch up on." Ratchet placed Sam on one of the berths

"Oi! I am not a drama queen. That would imply that I was a girl, which I am definitely not." Sam seemed to realize something. "Wait, can't we work on studying after whatever Optimus has to say?"

"No, now lie down and keep still"

The medical passed quickly with minimal complaining from Sam about the scans and minimal complaining from Ratchet about Sam's constant fidgeting.

"Ok, what do you remember of our previous lessons?" Since Mission City, Ratchet had been teaching Sam Cybertronian medicine and anatomy. This had come in handy a lot while repairing Jazz. Sam could easily reach places that Ratchet would need to perform extensive surgeries to get to that they often didn't have the supplies for. Sam wasn't good enough to do anything without Ratchet in earshot but he was learning fast enough that Ratchet was willing to teach him.

Ratchet quizzed him for a while, reviewing things he may have forgotten. When they had landed on this planet the thought had never even crossed Ratchet's processor to teach a human about Cybertronian medicine. It just sort of happened. Once while, as was common, Sam had been talking to him as he repaired Jazz, Ratchet in a fit of frustration had thrown the tool he was working with down. Concerned Sam had asked what the problem was and if he could help. Ratchet explained and let him try. Sam ended up doing a wonderful job and had gone so far as to stun Ratchet asking if 'the two dark blue wires half the size of my palm are supposed to go through the mesh look'n thing with the three silver colored wires going through it'. Ratchet had automatically told him no but realized a few moments later what he was talking about and that 'yes they are supposed to go there please fix them while you are down there.' When Ratchet asked Sam how he knew that he sort of shrugged and, much to the annoyance of Ratchet, stated that they just looked like they went there.

According to human records Sam was an average student, always had been. But he was able to learn from Ratchet very quickly for a human. But as far as Ratchet knew he had never shown an interest in anything mechanical. But he got the jist of everything Ratchet taught him. But he had trouble naming any specific parts. But he always understood what went where and how…

Sam had been pretty surprised when Ratchet later decided to approach him and Optimus about teaching him. He'd stormed in the room, stopping right in front of Optimus and glaring anywhere but at them.

"You are contradictive and confusing" was all Ratchet had said before in a rather un-Ratchet like move thrust out his hand, palm up in a silent, seemingly embarrassed, command to give Sam over. When it became obvious to Ratchet that they didn't know what he wanted he said. "If Sam is willing I want to see if he is capable of learning Cybertronian medicine." Still looking away and therefore unable to gage their reactions he didn't see Optimus's approving and Sam's excited smiles. Only Optimus had noticed Ratchet's shortened use of Sam's name though. Ratchet had had to be the only person Sam knew that would call him Samuel on a day to day basis and then use Sam when he was really angry, worried, upset, or in this case, nervous. Sam had jumped up clearly excited.

"You really mean it?"

So now, Ratchet had a new apprentice. Eventually today's lessons ended, thanks to Sam not able to take in a lot at once, and they did a few more repairs on Jazz before leaving the med bay. Ratchet paused on the way out, his optics flickering in a way that told Sam that he was doing something with his internal com. He then offered Sam a hand and headed off to Optimus's office. When they got there Bumblebee and Ironhide were already there.

"Finally!" Ironhide exclaimed. "Everyone's here. What's the big news?"

Optimus spoke slowly, anticipating everyone's reactions

"We have new arrivals coming." Everyone seemed to speak at once.

"What?!"

"When?!"

"No way!

"You idiot! You couldn't have told us sooner?!" This last statement was followed by a wrench that Optimus was only just able to dodge.

"I assure you that I have been preparing for their arrival since I found out. I was unsure if it was true and did not want to get your hopes up only to be wrong."

Ratchet seemed to accept that as he nodded and asked "How many, and when are they getting here?"

"There are five of them and they're getting here tomorrow." Optimus wasn't able to dodge the next wrench thrown at him.

"Tomorrow! You gave me till tomorrow to prepare for who knows who?!" Ratchet dropped Sam on Optimus's desk and transforming drove back to the med bay as fast as he could. Optimus slowly stood up, rubbing the new dent he was sporting on his helm. Bumblebee and Ironhide excitedly started talking about who it might be animatedly telling Sam all sorts of stories of comrades neither had seen since Cybertron.

**A/N: I felt like this would be a good place to end this chapter.**

**Hope you liked it!**


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